I've Made Some Mistakes! Please Help!

[juliew0205]

I recently ordered a 1.0 ct radiant-cut fancy yellow diamond. Length to Width ratio is 1:25. Origin - natural, Distribution - even, Depth 63.2%, Table 68%, Girdle - Thin to Ex thick, Culet - none, Pol & Sym - Very Good, Fluorescence - None, VS1, Clarity Characteristics - feather. GIA certified.

I ordered it online without seeing it in person (mistake #1). I'm a trusting person and believed the owner of the jewelry store when he told me that it has a lot of sparkle and is beautiful. Since placing the order, I have done tons of reading (mistake #2 for not doing this first) on fancy color stones with a radiant cut. I am now worried that the depth (63.2%) is too shallow, and won't have the sparkle that I want. I am also a little concerned about the girdle thickness.

It will be set in a white-gold halo setting surrounded by white diamonds (1.15 tcw), in a yellow-gold basket & with yellow-gold prongs.

They offer a no-questions asked return policy.

Do you think the depth and girdle width will be a problem?

Thanks for your help

 

[eastjavaman]

I think you should consult Rocky Talk section, not to mention it has plenty of tutorials regarding Radiant Cut, not sure about Fancy Color.
As a guideline, cut proportion ratio to maximize its beauty between colored stones and diamonds are not the same.

 

[cm366]

I'd second asking the RT folks, with the caveat that our resident expert, Kenny, has pointed out repeatedly that 'ideal cuts' and dimensions are optimized for the relatively common common colorless diamond. Coloured diamonds are much more individual and don't necessarily have a single accepted standard of cutting - the priority becomes maximizing the colour rather than % light return or dispersion.

 

[the_mother_thing]

They offer a no-questions asked return policy.

As long as this is the case, you will be able to see it for yourself and decide how it performs, so I wouldn't say it was a huge mistake. But I agree with others ... consult the RT folks on the specs. Good luck!

 

[VirginiaZee]

juliew0205|1402971903|3694675 wrote:
They offer a no-questions asked return policy.


As long as this is the case, you will be able to see it for yourself and decide how it performs, so I wouldn't say it was a huge mistake. But I agree with others ... consult the RT folks on the specs. Good luck!

+1

Girdle - Thin to Ex thick

There might only be one ex thick spot, you won't know until you see it how it looks.

Clarity Characteristics - feather

I know it's rated VS1, but I'd want to verify where the feather is in the gem, and what it's orientation is. Also how easy it is to spot, if it catches the light at certain angles, etc.

BTW the setting idea sounds very pretty.

 

[chrono]

For FCDs, colour always comes first, but cut criteria is also important for the sparkle factor. Do you have pictures or a video of the radiant you are considering? I much prefer to judge it from a video, then picture to see the evenness and strength of colour and gauge the cut and clarity. Numbers are pretty much meaningless for FCDs.

 

[LD]

For FCDs, colour always comes first, but cut criteria is also important for the sparkle factor. Do you have pictures or a video of the radiant you are considering? I much prefer to judge it from a video, then picture to see the evenness and strength of colour and gauge the cut and clarity. Numbers are pretty much meaningless for FCDs.

+1 - although the guys over in Rocky Talk will be able to tell you how it MAY perform based on the numbers, what you really want is a nicely coloured yellow diamond that performs. The colour is key. The fact you're having a yellow gold basket will of course make the stone appear significantly more yellow than if you had an open basket or white gold under it. Radiants however (in my experience - but it depends on the cut) have less sparkle and more flash). I have a photo of a natural yellow diamond before setting and then how it changed with a yellow gold basket if you're interested to see it. The strength of colour when set is very evident.

As you're got a no quibble returns policy I wouldn't worry about it and just look forward to the mail arriving! It's easy to second guess and get it wrong.

Oh and as for buying online? Most of us do that without the luxury of seeing the stone so you haven't made a mistake.

 

[juliew0205]

Thank you all for the replies - I really appreciate it. I will definitely take a closer look at the website and forums.

I was able to get a photo of the diamond from the seller. He says that it looks much better in person. I will post the photo when I figure out how to do it.

LD - I would love to see a photo of your ring in and out of the setting.

Thanks Everyone! I welcome your thoughts & advice,
Julie

 

[juliew0205]

Here is a photo of the diamond:

 

[pinkjewel]

Do you have a copy of the GIA cert? Or have you seen it? The color looks pale and greenish yellow in the photo- but,like the vendor said, maybe it is a poor photo. Oh, and like the others have already told you- FCDs are cut for color and almost all cutters of them also cut for highest carat weight to maximize profits- so it is sometimes quite difficult to find an FCD with an excellent cut. You can post in RT, but since the criteria are different, I'm not sure they could tell you more than we already have. Where is the feather located?

 

[chrono]

Ditto PinkJewel in that I hope it's a horrible photograph.

 

[juliew0205]

It is certified by GIA, and I have looked up the report on GIA's website. According to them, it is a fancy yellow. There is no cut grade since it is not a round diamond. It is listed as an 'Ideal' cut on the seller's site.

Thanks to all that have responded,
Julie

 

[juliew0205]

pinkjewel & chrono -
He said it wasn't a good photo - I just don't know how bad it is...
Julie

 

[pinkjewel]

Well, since he has a good return policy I wouldn't worry too much until you've seen it in person. FCDs are notoriously hard to photograph.

 

[juliew0205]

It's a GIA Colored Diamond Report. According to the drawing, it has 4 feathers, near the edges, as seen from the bottom. There are no feathers or other inclusions as seen from the top.

I know I will have no problem returning it if I don't like it. I just hope I don't have to.

Please, any other comments, suggestions, recommendations, or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Julie

 

[the_mother_thing]

Well, since he has a good return policy I wouldn't worry too much until you've seen it in person. FCDs are notoriously hard to photograph.

Agreed 100%! I recently bought a champagne OMC from another PS member. The pictures made it look like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree of diamonds. But in person, it was EVERYTHING I ever wanted in a diamond. Wait & see what you think when it arrives.

 

[LD]

Here's the diamond out of the setting and with a yellow gold basket (the heart shape - ignore the bottom radiant cut diamond that has a high blue fluor making it look white in some photos and yellow in others).

 

[juliew0205]

Thanks for sharing, LD. What a difference! It's beautiful in and out of the setting

 

[juliew0205]

This is the setting I chose for the FYD:

 

[LD]

This is the setting I chose for the FYD:

Is it being custom made for your radiant because that's a setting for an oval and if it's not being custom made you're going to have problems because of where the claws are in relation to the basket shape and where the basket curves (top and bottom) this may be visible once the gem has been set. It MIGHT be do-able but you'd have to be spot on with your measurements.

 

[juliew0205]

They are custom making it. Thanks for your input.
Julie

 

[pinkjewel]

FWIW- I prefer a cup that has a partial opening in the bottom, this one looks totally enclosed. Otherwise, you don't really have a good way to clean the back of the diamond without having the diamond removed periodically.

 

[juliew0205]

That's what I thought too & I asked about cleaning it. He told me that it shouldn't be a problem, and if I wanted to add a hole in the future, I would be able to. I still hope I'm not getting myself in a big mess!

 

[pinkjewel]

That's what I thought too & I asked about cleaning it. He told me that it shouldn't be a problem, and if I wanted to add a hole in the future, I would be able to. I still hope I'm not getting myself in a big mess!

haha- he's not the one trying to clean it
If they are custom making the setting-seems like now would be the best time to do it. I know that even though I am pretty gentle with my rings and usually do not wear them around the house- they still can get a little grungy sometimes from soap and lotions.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Is the setting already under construction? If so, I would ask them to stop the work until you have seen the stone and can confirm you are keeping it. Otherwise, you may end up trying to find a stone to fit the setting and that is always harder.

 

[chrono]

Ditto the above posters:
1. I would want the cup to be totally open on the underside for cleaning.
2. I would wait to see the stone to decide whether it is a keeper before giving the green light to start work on the setting.
3. I'm not sure if I would go with this jeweller for the setting because I would not be happy with the workmanship if that is one of their settings as shown.

 

[juliew0205]

Thanks for all of the input - I appreciate it.

Chrono - I'm not sure exactly what you mean in #3 - do you think it's a bad setting? If so, why?

Thanks!
Julie

 

[chrono]

The cup is off symmetry and the corners of the halo has obvious gaps/metal.

 

[juliew0205]

I'm back...

I am still waiting to receive my ring with the FYD - still hoping that it looks a lot better than the pics I have posted. In the meantime, I have done more reading and now I'm confused.
With a FYD, radiant cut, what would be a very good/ideal table and depth percentage?

Thanks!
Julie

 

[FrekeChild]

I'm back...

I am still waiting to receive my ring with the FYD - still hoping that it looks a lot better than the pics I have posted. In the meantime, I have done more reading and now I'm confused.
With a FYD, radiant cut, what would be a very good/ideal table and depth percentage?

Thanks!
Julie

Someone with more experience in FCD can speak with more authority on the subject, but when it comes to any fancy colored diamonds (or colored stones in general) cut is far less important than color. So long as the stone sparkles, doesn't have dead spots AND has the color you want, then it's a good one.

Ideal/very good cut nut stuff is really best reserved for colorless diamonds. FCD are cut to best preserve/bring out the color - NOT to ideal proportions.